Combined needle-threader and thread-cutter



(ModeL) J. 000K; GOMBINED NEEDLE THREADER AND THREAD CUTTER.

No. 411,325. Patented Sept. 17, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES COOK, OF DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

COMBINED NEEDLE-THREADER AND THREAD-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,325, dated September 17, 1889.

Application filed March 8, 1889. Sgrial No. 302,414! (Modeld T0 wZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES COOK, of Darlington,in the county of Darlington and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Needle-Threaders and 'lhread-Cutters for Sewing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be'a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in needle-threaders and thread-eutters for sewing-machines; and it consists in a pivoted needle-threader which is adapted to be attached to the presser-foot of any sewing-inachine, and which is provided with a small hook upon its free end, so as to pass through the eye of the needle and catch the thread which is drawn through the eye as the threader is returned to position, and a threadcutter which is placed upon the clampingscrew of the clasp of the needle-threader, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The objects of my invention are to provide a iieedletlireader by means of which a person can easily and quickly thread the needle of a sewinganachine without the help of the eyesight or having to use both hands, and to attach to the threader a device for cutting the thread,which is always in position and ready for use.

Figure 1 represents a perspective of a device which embodies my invention complete and in position ready for operation. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the hook upon the threader. Fig. 3 is a plan View of my i11- vention.

A represents the presserfoot, B the needlebar, and C the needle, of any of the wellknown forms of sewing-machines.

Passed over the rod of the PTGSSGPIOOt is the clasp D, which can be opened and closed by the turning of the screw G, so as to adapt the clasp to be used upon any size or form of presser foot or rod that may be used. In or der to prevent any possibility of the clasp from becoming displaced at any time, the screw H is passed through. the side of the clasp, so as to bear against the rod of the presscr foot, and thus clamp the clasp so tightly in position that if the ends of the clasp should become loosened by the turning of the screwthe clasp will not become displaced.

Pivoted upon the screw, in between the ends of the clasp is the needle-threader I, which consists of a flat bar or plate of suitable length, size, and material, and which is bent either into the form here shown or any other that may be preferred. The length of the threader is such that when the needle-bar and needle are raised to their highest point the lower end of the threader will sweep through a cir cle and have its lower end, having thehook J attached thereto, come just opposite the eye of the needle \Vhen the threader is not in use, it is turned up out of the way; but when the needle is to be threaded the threader is moved through half a circle.

Secured in any suitable manner to the lowerend of this threader is thehook J,which is made sufficiently small to freely pass through the eye of the needle, for the purpose of catching the thread upon the other side of the needle and drawing the thread through the eye as the threader is raised into position. WVhen the needle is raised to its highest position, it is only necessary to depress the threader, when the hook passes through the eye of the needle and catches the thread,

which is held up to the needle for the purpose of drawing it through the eye, the parts being so proportioned that no care, eyesight, or use of both hands is necessary, the mere depression of the threader, when the needle is raised to its highest point, and the bringing of the thread against the hook, being all that is necessary. Blind persons, or persons in places too dark to see the eye of the needle, or persons having only one hand can thread the needle as readily as a person having good eyesight or the use of both hands.

For the purpose of protecting the hook, which is made very small for the purpose of passing through the eye of the needle, a projection or extension 0 upon the end of the threader is formed, and which projection or extension projects alongside of the needle, but separated therefrom by a slight space, so as to prevent the needle from being aceidentally struck and injured or from catching in the goods that are being sewed.

Placed on the screw G are two collars P, between which the thread-cutter R is clamped. These collars and the thread-cutter are placed upon the screw before the end of the screw is passed through the ends of the clamp and the end of the needle-threader, and the collars are made to clamp the thread-cutter with sufficient force, so that the turning of the screw to tighten or loosen the clamp upon the presser-foot rod will not affect the collars which clamp the thread-cutter in position. As the screw is turned the thread-cutter turns with it and is always brought back'into position when the screw is tightened.

The thread-cutter is always in position, ready for use, alongside of the presser-foot rod.

These two attachments the needlethreader and thread-cuttermay be used together, or the needle-threader may be used alone, just as may be preferred. Either the needle-threader alone, or both the needlethreader and the thread-cutter, can be kept in stock as separate and distinct attachments and can be sold to be applied to any sewingmachine now in use.

The needle-threader herein described answers also for a needle-set, for the reason that the hook enters the eye of the needle when the needle is at its highest point and is properly in place. When a needle is to be set, it is only necessary to have the hook engage the eye of the needle, and the needle will then be accurately set.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- The combination of the presser-foot rod and the clamp D, placed thereon, with the screw G, the pivoted needle-threader I, placed upon the screw G and held between the ends JAMES COOK.

WVitnesses:

SYDNEY B..WRIGHT, J. HODGE McLEAN. 

